Mobile & Wireless Slideshow: The Mobile Workday: A 24x7 Phenomenon

The Mobile Workday: A 24x7 Phenomenon

95%95% of respondents say their employers either encourage, or at least tolerate, workshifting.

They're constantly connected, whether at home, a coffee shop or an airport terminal. These are our modern mobile employees, and they're increasing their presence and impact upon the enterprise. Yet, despite the fact that they always seem to be on the job, a recent survey conducted by enterprise mobility service provider iPass sheds light on some surprising insights about this culture: More than six of 10 respondents say they're experiencing better work/life balance now than they did before the advent of mobility tools, in spite of a long work day. There are even a growing number of workers who manage to find some time to unplug. "Even though mobile workers are putting in more hours, we are starting to see the pendulum swing back to the center on disconnecting," says Barbara Nelson, CTO at iPass. The bottom line for managers is that most respondents feel that workshifting -- the ability to complete tasks whenever and wherever they want to -- enables them to increase their productivity and efficiency. More than 3,100 mobile enterprise employees worldwide took part in the ,survey which was conducted between July 1 and July 15, 2011. Here are eight highlights from the report, plus four best practices for your IT department on the effective oversight of your mobile workforce.